Conspiracies of a different kind!

        

Godhra, Gujarat 2002 riots, Gujarat bomb blasts all seem much familiar words and events quite interlinked to a common person. Well the much awaited Nanavati Commission report is out and according to the report the Godhra Carnage (burning of the train coach) was a conspiracy. True might be I haven’t investigated the case. What followed the carnage, the riots that started from small incidents at certain places and spread across Gujarat according to the report has no bearing to the Godhra Carnage. Strange yes but that is in the report (according to the media). Everybody across the globe who has heard or read about the incidents taken place would find it a conspiracy to hide the culprits behind those! Isn’t it looking like a conspiracy of a different kind? Like to save/hide the doings of few people and make the multitude waiting for justice suffer.

Let’s see some incidents:

February 27, 2002, a fight occurred on the railway platform in Godhra, a moving train was halted and the coach (S6) in which the karsevaks were travelling was burnt down. What happened at that time was gory and it is necessary that the guilty is/are punished. Such actions are not acceptable and proper justice is required for those affected. It could be a conspiracy. But what followed was even much worse and could have been easily stopped. It couldn’t have been initiated at all about hurting the feelings and such other provocative speeches which inculcates feelings of hatred within people. But then again as the title goes it could have been “conspiracy of a different kind.”

A little bit of my analysis regarding the train burning and other incidents that followed:

Usually when fights occur with shopkeepers it ends with the issue being the centre of focus not religion. Many of us at one point or other would have been involved in a fight with a shopkeeper I guess and you would have experienced it yourself.  But here it went forward, religion was brought in focus. Also that the train was halted in between and it is unbelieving that a moving train also stopped to some stone pelting. Usually trains don’t stop when they notice something like a riot is going to happen or some stone pelting, it moves faster instead of stopping. Only one coach was targeted and only one coach caught fire. The train stopped only for the time the coach caught fire and then leaving the coach behind,  it moved ahead. All this sounds quite unusual to me, first the train stopping when it had already gained momentum (Did somebody pull the chain from inside?) and only one coach on fire.  Well let’s say a conspiracy, but conspiracy by whom? Is it by some people with vested interest or by people of a particular religion? Just a thought process looking at a conspiracy of a different kind.

Immediately after the Godhra Carnage i.e. February 27, 2002 ‘Gujarat Bandh’ was announced by certain extremist organisations. Next day when these same extremist groups started the riots (according to media reports) and it hit the cities across Gujarat, every Muslim household, shop, restaurant, etc. was under fire. Where I stay in Ahmedabad, is the western region, I have never witnessed riots in this region. This was my first time. Every Muslim owned/partnered shop was burnt down. Western region is usually calm as it is cosmopolitan or should I say Hindu dominated. I have stayed here for years and never knew which shop belonged to a Muslim, a Hindu, a Parsi, a Jain, a Sikh or whatever religion. For that matter even the neighbourhood shop owners didn’t know whether these shops belonged to Muslims as they were rented by Hindus. One could either think of it as only a sheer co-incidence or meticulous planning! How would one get data of whole Ahmedabad city or Gujarat within a night’s time of what shop, household or other property belonged to a Muslim. But it could be a conspiracy of a different kind that has gone unnoticed!

While I wonder as to where within just a matter of 12 hours (of night) one could gather such weapons for mass destruction and a workforce that spreads across Gujarat and carries out work of destruction and devastation with such effectiveness? Not understanding that they have not only harmed its people but also Gujarat’s dignity, integrity, unity, love within each-other and harmony.  These incidents as per the report are not linked. Ok! Say I buy what the report says, then let’s see this: While this happened it was seen as a repercussion to what happened in Godhra and not much could be done; as the anger of the majority was being released and needed to be satisfied. For long the majority has suffered (Suffered with what was never specified). This incident (of Godhra) was made a USP for electoral speeches during December 2002. If it was a conspiracy and an event of shame why make it a USP? Do we make bomb blasts or rapes or thefts as USPs of electoral speeches? But maybe this would be a conspiracy of a different kind and hence it was taken into references for speeches.

As per media reports a number of affidavits and witnesses were brought to bring things to conclusion. As per Mr. R. B. Sreekumar, State Intelligence Chief (2002), he himself has submitted statements which are enough to bring the guilty of post Godhra riots to justice. If we read it in his words regarding the report “The Nanavati Commission report is highly motivated and politically influenced. The report is incomplete as it is in parts. It is a smokescreen, convenient enough for wriggling out of difficult situation. The report is premature, incomplete and discriminatory as it is presented in a compartmentalised form. There was no evidence to support the version that Godhra was a conspiracy and I had refused to do so. I was cajoled, persuaded and threatened with dire consequences if I don’t follow the lines. Mr. Sreekumar also said that “Practically all the accused in anti-minority bloodbath till date have been released on bail. In contrast, all accused in Godhra accident case including a blind man, an old man and those having congenital diseases have been jailed for the last six years.” (Excerpt taken from media reports) But I guess that wouldn’t be enough since it might be a conspiracy of a different kind. Well to my understanding I would say the report isn’t justified. But that again is my viewpoint.

My viewpoints are completely based on different media reports and incidents witnessed by me. Whatever written here are my views and thought processes regarding certain incidents that took place and regarding what the report has brought out. Conspiracies of a different kind (CODK) have three parts; the next two parts of this story would be posted one by one within a span of two-three days. Part two are a bunch of stories conceptualised to have an understanding of different situations and human psyche that can possibly give rise to CODK and part three will look into what different kinds of results could arise due to such CODK. I hope that you will be here again to read them and share my views and also give your opinions.